Chinese Curriculum
HSK 3 Intermediate

Ninchanese is a comprehensive app to learn Chinese from beginner HSK1 to HSK6.



Ninchanese aims to provide Chinese learners with a structured program with which to discover and progress in Chinese while thoroughly enjoying the process. Made by professional Chinese teachers, meet the latest HSK-related program and more to completely understand and be fluent in Chinese.

Course content overview

Level Objective: The current course framework is based on the HSK level 3. Grammar points follow levels B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.


Unit 1 – How much for a chicken leg?

Goal: Learn how to haggle over the price of something

S01 Vocabulary
A good price for chicken legs Looking for a 小吃 (snack)? How about 鸡爪 (chicken claws)?

S02 Grammar
Talking about time with 以前, 以后 and 的时候 Learn to situate what you’re saying in time. Did it happen before? After? During?

S02 Grammar Lesson
Talking about time with 以前 and 以后 (A2)

S03 Dialogue
A good price for a snack In China, sometimes you need to be brave and taste unusual snacks!


Unit 2 – What type of bank card do you need in China?

Goal: Learn how to make a simple evaluation

S04 Vocabulary
Needing a bank card Cash is nice and all, but without an ATM card, how do you withdraw it?

S05 Grammar
Comparing 才 and 就 才 and 就 are both used A LOT in Chinese; let’s learn when to use which

S05 Grammar Lesson
Comparing 就 and 才 when expressing time (B1)

S06 Dialogue
I want a credit card If you plan on living in China, a Chinese bank account might be a good thing.


Unit 3 – Waiting in the line to get your card

Goal: Learn to describe a current state or a state coming.

S07 Vocabulary
Waiting for your turn It’s so crowded! Nincha and Lupishu are going to have to wait for their turn.

S08 Grammar
了 part 2: new roles for 了 You’ve learned what 了 means when it follows a verb. Time to learn the other roles 了 can have in a sentence!

S08 Grammar Lesson
Lesson: 了 Part 2 – Much to do about 了 (A2/B1)

S09 Dialogue
At the bank Now that you’ve picked a bank, time to go there!


Unit 4 – Money changing in China

Goal: Learn how to change money and to talk about the exchange rate

S10 Vocabulary
Changing money RMBs are meant to stay in China so you might need to change money when you get there

S11 Grammar
Except and besides with 除了…以外 Let’s talk exceptions and additions with this common Chinese pattern!

S11 Grammar lesson
“Except” and “in addition” with “除了…以外” (B1)

S12 Dialogue
换钱 – Changing money The Chinese use RMBs so you might need to change your money


Unit 5 – Is it cold in China?

Goal: Learn how to describe the weather and climate of places

S13 Vocabulary
Winter in Shanghai Learn to talk about the weather

S14 Grammar
The more… the more The more you try you understand, right? Well, here’s how to say that!

S14 Grammar Lesson
越…越 More and more (B1)

S15 Dialogue
Winter in Shanghai Winters in Shanghai can take some getting used to.


Unit 6 – I’m sick

Goal: Learn to talk about your state of health in Chinese

S16 Vocabulary
Feeling sick A stuffy nose won’t keep you from speaking Chinese, will it?

S17 Grammar
Distinguishing 的 / 得 / 地 All three may be pronounced “de” but it’s essential to know how to tell them apart!

S17 Grammar Lesson
Telling 的/得/地 apart (A2)

S18 Dialogue
我感冒了! I’ve gotten a cold Getting sick happens to everyone, even the best of us.


Unit 7 – How to communicate important matters

Goal: Learn how to ask someone for help

S19 Vocabulary
Communication A few words to communicate with others

S20 Grammar
For with 给 给 is often used to indicate the target of a sentence. Let’s see what that means!

S20 Grammar Lesson
How to use 给 (B1)

S21 Dialogue
请病假 – Asking for sick leave Nincha’s gotten a serious cold, and wants Lupishu to tell his teacher.


Unit 8 – An important meeting

Goal: Learn useful words and questions to shop in Chinese

S22 Vocabulary
An important meeting Some work days are like that: suddenly it’s all work and no play

S23 Grammar
Causative Verbs With these verbs, get things to happen.

S23 Grammar Lesson
Verbs that cause things to happen (B1)

S24 Dialogue
No time to eat lunch Nincha’s in a rush; no time for a lunch break!


Unit 9 – How to behave at work

Goal: Learn elementary words used in the workplace and learn to describe the result of an action on an object.

S25 Vocabulary
Actions, reactions Talk about actions and their results

S26 Grammar
把 sentences Want to talk about the result of an action on an object? Make a sentence with 把.

S26 Grammar Lesson
把 sentences (B1)

S27 Dialogue
重要的会议 – An important meeting Lupishu didn’t know about the meeting, good thing Nincha’s there!


Unit 10 – What’s your hobby?

Goal:  Learn the different words to describe your activities during your free time and learn how to talk about your hobbies

S28 Vocabulary
Hobbies What makes you tick in life? Tell us about it!

S29 Grammar
Compare with 一样 and 没有 Learn how to use 一样 and 没有 to compare things

S29 Grammar Lesson
一样 & 没有 to compare (A2)

S30 Dialogue
兴趣爱好 – Hobbies Nincha wants to know what everyone’s hobbies are! What are yours?


Unit 11 – What do you like to do?

Goal: Learn to talk about the things you like to do

S31 Vocabulary
What do you like? Vocabulary to talk about your hobbies

S32 Grammar
Multitask with 一边…一边 Learn to multitask with this structure!

S32 Grammar Lesson
Simultaneous actions with 一边一边 (A2)

S33 Dialogue
兴趣爱好 – Hobbies part 2 It’s Baimei’s and Faust’s turn to talk about their hobbies!


Unit 12 – How are the new colleagues?

Goal: Learn to describe appearance and personality of others

S34 Vocabulary
新同事 – New colleagues New colleagues are always a great excuse to gossip!

S35 Grammar
To be doing something with 着 Add 着 after a verb and bam! You’re doing it.

S35 Grammar Lesson
To be doing something with 着 (B1)

S36 Dialogue
新同事 – New colleagues You’ve got new colleagues at work. What are they like?


Unit 13 – Organize a birthday party

Goal: Learn to give advice and to impose obligations on others

S37 Vocabulary
Running into friends at the store – Hey, look! A new friend!

S38 Grammar
Comparing 应该and 必须 for should Two words that both mean “should”. When should you use each?

S38 Grammar Lesson
Comparing 应该 and 必须 for should (A2)

S39 Dialogue
生日快乐 – Happy Birthday! It’s Nincha’s birthday, what should we get him?


Unit 14 – Let’s go buy a new pant

Goal: Learn useful words and phrases about buying clothes and learn to give your opinion on something.

S40 Vocabulary
Trying on pants You might love it, you might hate shopping for pants, but when you do, they gotta fit!

S41 Grammar
以为 vs 认为 There’s a difference in thinking correctly or in thinking wrongly and the Chinese know that.

S41 Grammar Lesson
以为 and 认为 (B1)

S42 Dialogue
Trying on pants Sometimes.. you just have to buy pants.


Unit 15 – Did I score high?

Goal: Learn useful words and express about exams and subjects in school and learn how to talk about your result of an exam

S43 Vocabulary
Finals Tests are a part of school life. So grin and bear it!

S44 Grammar
“是…的” construction Learn how to place emphasis!

S44 Grammar Lesson
“是…的” construction (B1)

S45 Dialogue
Finals Before summer break, there’s always a nice little thing called Finals…


Unit 16 – Try again

Goal: Learn to enumerate reasons why something has happened and to use passive voice

S46 Vocabulary
Influences Talk about how something was done to you!

S47 Grammar
The passive voice with 被 被 sentences are a key way to express the passive voice in modern Mandarin Chinese

S47 Grammar Lesson
The passive voice with 被 (B1)

S48 Dialogue
Waiting for a chance to redo your finals Sometimes it happens, you flunk the exam.


Intermediate Vocabulary Stages

A good price for chicken legs
Looking for a 小吃 (snack)? How about 鸡爪 (chicken claws)?

Needing a bank card
Cash is nice and all, but without an ATM card, how do you withdraw it?

Waiting for your turn
It’s so crowded! Nincha and Lupishu are going to have to wait for their turn.

Changing money
RMBs are meant to stay in China so you might need to change money when you get there

Winter in Shanghai
Learn to talk about the weather

Feeling sick
A stuffy nose won’t keep you from speaking Chinese, will it?

Communication
A few words to communicate with others

An important meeting
Some work days are like that: suddenly it’s all work and no play

Actions, reactions
Talk about actions and their results

Hobbies
What makes you tick in life? Tell us about it!

What do you like?
Vocabulary to talk about your hobbies

新同事 – New colleagues
New colleagues are always a great excuse to gossip!

Trying on pants
You might love it, you might hate shopping for pants, but when you do, they gotta fit!

Finals
Tests are a part of school life. So grin and bear it!

Influences
Talk about how something was done to you!


Intermediate Chinese Grammar Stages

Talking about time with 以前, 以后 and 的时候
Learn to situate what you’re saying in time. Did it happen before? After? During?

Comparing 才 and 就
才 and 就 are both used A LOT in Chinese; let’s learn when to use which

了 part 2: new roles for 了
You’ve learned what 了 means when it follows a verb. Time to learn the other roles 了 can have in a sentence!

Except and besides with 除了…以外
Let’s talk exceptions and additions with this common Chinese pattern!

The more… the more
The more you try you understand, right? Well, here’s how to say that!

Distinguishing 的 / 得 / 地
All three may be pronounced “de” but it’s essential to know how to tell them apart!

For with 给
给 is often used to indicate the target of a sentence. Let’s see what that means!

Causative Verbs
With these verbs, get things to happen.

把 sentences
Want to talk about the result of an action on an object? Make a sentence with 把.

Compare with 一样 and 没有
Learn how to use 一样 and 没有 to compare things

Multitask with 一边…一边
Learn to multitask with this structure!

To be doing something with 着
Add 着 after a verb and bam! You’re doing it.

Comparing 应该and 必须 for should
Two words that both mean “should”. When should you use each?

以为 vs 认为
There’s a difference in thinking correctly or in thinking wrongly and the Chinese know that.

“是…的” construction
Learn how to place emphasis!

The passive voice with 被
被 sentences are a key way to express the passive voice in modern Mandarin Chinese


Intermediate Chinese Grammar Lessons


Intermediate Chinese Dialogues

A good price for a snack
In China, sometimes you need to be brave and taste unusual snacks!

I want a credit card
If you plan on living in China, a Chinese bank account might be a good thing.

At the bank
Now that you’ve picked a bank, time to go there!

换钱 – Changing money
The Chinese use RMBs so you might need to change your money

Winter in Shanghai
Winters in Shanghai can take some getting used to.

我感冒了! I’ve gotten a cold
Getting sick happens to everyone, even the best of us.

请病假 – Asking for sick leave
Nincha’s gotten a serious cold, and wants Lupishu to tell his teacher.

No time to eat lunch
Nincha’s in a rush; no time for a lunch break!

重要的会议 – An important meeting
Lupishu didn’t know about the meeting, good thing Nincha’s there!

兴趣爱好 – Hobbies
Nincha wants to know what everyone’s hobbies are! What are yours?

兴趣爱好 – Hobbies part 2
It’s Baimei’s and Faust’s turn to talk about their hobbies!

新同事 – New colleagues
You’ve got new colleagues at work. What are they like?

生日快乐 – Happy Birthday!
It’s Nincha’s birthday, what should we get him?

Trying on pants
Sometimes.. you just have to buy pants.

Finals
Before summer break, there’s always a nice little thing called Finals…

Waiting for a chance to redo your finals
Sometimes it happens, you flunk the exam.

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NinchaneseChinese curriculum – HSK3 – Intermediate